Tantramar council voted against a new Tantramar-wide loitering bylaw on Tuesday, but then voted to keep similar existing bylaws in place in Sackville and Dorchester.
Councillor Josh Goguen told council he had concerns about the potential overreach possible with the proposed new bylaw. “We’re basically saying to somebody that, you’re sitting down, and the bylaw officer can come up to you and say, What are you doing? Who are you? Why are you sitting around?,” said Goguen. “It just gives them almost too much power.”
Council defeated the bylaw in a close 5 to 4 vote, but then voted unanimously to keep existing bylaws in Sackville and Dorchester after a number of councillors expressed concern about losing the authority to enforce rules around loitering.
